Category Archives: Rants

Rolling Stone’s Top 100 guitarists of all time makes Alex laugh

So Rolling Stone magazine has a new Top 100 out, and it’s about the best guitarists of all time… Now, I do know how hard it must be to put such a top together, you have to take a lot of things into consideration, and no matter what, people will always be disappointed.

But I really think this Top is overall a piece of shit. I’m sorry, nothing against the magazine, but it just makes me laugh.

James Hetfield is ranked 87th. Dimebag is ranked 92nd. You know what Tom Morello is ranked? Fucking 40th.

I mean I got nothing against the guy, but how can the guy who uses every pedal in the goddamn universe rank about 50 places higher than two of the most influential metal guitarists? He’s even four places higher than Mark Knopfler, and that really is an amazing guitarist. Take away all of his pedals, what does Tom have, anyway, when compared to those three?

Kurt Cobain is also ranked higher than Dime and Jaymz.

Now, about the first places, I do agree with them. Jimi Hendrix is, of course, in first place, followed by Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Other wonderful guitarists are very high up, which is another plus for the article — Chuck Berry (7th), Eddie Van Halen (8th), Angus Young (24th) and Tony Iommi (25th).

I do have a problem with Keith Richards getting number four. I mean, I love the Stones, and I think they’re wonderful — they also put an amazing show live. But is Keith really above all those other names? I know it’s probably his writing, not his proficiency, that got him there… But the fourth guitarist of all time? I don’t think so. Are they biased cause they share (almost) the same name as his band?

The whole top is a mess, and metalheads got fucked. Rolling Stone usually has great articles, so how could this happen?

Oh, the guy who plays guitar in Blink-182 was one of the voters. Alongside him, Billy Corgan and a shitload of people I never heard of. Well, with such a roster of amazing talents (such as the dude in Blink), no wonder they screwed it up.

Good job on *most* of the first places, but shame on you for neglecting or underestimating some fine metal guitarists. Hope you redeem yourself, Rolling Stone.

You can read the full article here. Keep in mind that it has that awful image scroller thing, so you can only browse it one name at a time. If you want a headache-free list of the Top 100, make the jump.

Winter warmer

“You lie in the snow.  Cold, but not dead…”   – ‘Burn’ by Neurosis

Winter is the darkest time of the year.  It is marked by death: plants shrivel and fade, weaker animals starve, and the natural world slows to a veritable crawl.  Despite this, I find some peace in this process, as I know it is both ephemeral and necessary; a cleansing in preparation for rebirth.   Civilization, though it has tried, has not freed us from these natural rhythms.

The music of Neurosis embodies this progression; the passing of the old to make way for the new.  They are often described as a force of nature, but in reality they are just a reflection – as is all good art.

The Eye of Every Storm is their most primal album.  Stripped of the apocalyptic, layered sound of previous works, ‘Eye’ is open, raw, and human.  It is men coming to terms with their place in the natural order of things.   Eventually, we all must do this.    Winter is the time for such contemplation.

So start a fire, pour yourself a dark ale (currently Pyramid’s “Snow Cap Winter Warmer” for me), and grow a beard while Neurosis guides you through the winter.  You’re cold, but not dead.

Check out a YouTube playlist here.

Time for some fine Hungarian metal

The video above showcases one of the Hungarian artists I love most, namely Leander. The song is easily recognizable, “Szomoru Vasarnap”, although many of you might know it as “Gloomy Sunday”. Kudos to Attila “Mowgli” Voros, who fulfills the duties of live guitar playing for Nevermore.

Machine Head threaten to ruin my birthday

When it comes to Machine Head, I’m like the girl who puts up with years of physical and emotional abuse because she knows that, deep down, he’s the same man she fell in love with during that amazing summer they shared like 20 years ago.   Because I’m still hoping for 1994 Robb Flynn to sweep me off my feet and tell me everything is going to be OK, I always try to see Machine Head when they come to my city.  So it goes without saying that I was excited to see this on Blabbermouth the other day:

San Francisco Bay Area metallers Machine Head will embark on a North American headlining tour…

Hey, they’re coming to town on my birthday!  Sweet!  Wait… what was the rest of that press release?

…with support from Suicide Silence, Darkest Hour and Rise To Remain.

Shit.  I didn’t see that coming.  Let’s see what we’re working with here (after the jump).

Black Sabbath are back – and here’s why you need to be excited (Part 2)

I originally posted the above video in the comments section of my last post (click), but I couldn’t help but think it was worthy of its own post. Just look at that performance. Even Ozzy has some energy in him. More than me actually, and I’m young enough to be his great, great, great grandson.

If you still think this Black Sabbath reformation is nothing to be excited about, or the band don’t have it left in them to still perform, you are wrong.